26 EXPERIENCES OF SPORT. 



evening, and in a day or so a complete fishing 

 tackle shop arrived for the redoubtable captain 

 for the capture of the family pike. 



The day after its arrival we were all down at 

 the rush pool. This was a largish pond, close to a 

 decoy ; into which a small stream emptied itself. 

 It was a dark, dangerous looking place ; part of 

 it was covered with alders and rushes, and looked 

 the very spot for a heavy fish to lie in. 



The instant I saw him put his tackle together, 

 I was certain he was no pike fisherman. Reared 

 as I had been in the country, and " entered," 

 if I may use the term, at all kinds of sport, I 

 was as familiar with every sort of fishing as I 

 had been with my Latin grammar. (I know 

 which I liked the best, and found the most 

 amusement in.) 



The day was cold, and not a run could he 

 get. We walked about smoking our pipes and 

 cigars, the captain working away to no pur- 

 pose. 



" It's no use, D.," said a young county squire, 

 " you will never run him. You may do very well 

 in a Thames punt, in a roach or gudgeon swim,, 

 but pike fishing is not your forte, my boy." 



